


Inner Demons

by Settiai



Category: Critical Role (Web Series)
Genre: Campaign 1 (Critical Role), Critmas Exchange, Critmas Exchange Treat, M/M, Nightmares, One Shot, Pre-Stream (Critical Role), Propositions
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-01
Updated: 2020-01-01
Packaged: 2021-02-19 05:22:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,414
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22005838
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Settiai/pseuds/Settiai
Summary: Vax knew what it sounded like when someone was having a nightmare.
Relationships: Percival "Percy" Fredrickstein Von Musel Klossowski de Rolo III/Vax'ildan
Comments: 6
Kudos: 113
Collections: Critmas Exchange 2019





	Inner Demons

**Author's Note:**

  * For [NotusLethe](https://archiveofourown.org/users/NotusLethe/gifts).



Vax was on watch when he heard it.

It didn't take him long to realize exactly what it was that he was hearing. He and Vex had slept near each other most of their lives, and he'd learned a long time ago what it sounded like when someone was having a nightmare. The question was _who_ it was that he was hearing. It wasn't his sister, of that much he was certain, but that didn't particularly narrow it down that much. Not lately, at least.

He stood up from the tree stump that he was sitting on, letting his gaze move carefully over their camp. The campfire was down to nothing but embers, a faint red glow the only light it was giving off. In the sky, one of the moons was completely gone while the other was nothing more than a tiny sliver. With nothing but the stars to give off any light, it was even darker than usual.

Still, darkvision had its uses.

Vax narrowed his eyes as a hint of movement caught his attention, near the edges of the camp. A familiar form jerking upwards and frantically looking around as if they were trying to remember where they were. Percy. Of course, it had to be Percy.

He was the newest member of their motley group of assholes and the one who Vax probably knew the least well. The man did a surprising job of keeping to himself considering the close quarters the S.H.I.T.S. usually kept, and Keyleth was probably the only one of them who'd managed to get even remotely friendly with him. Well, and Pike, but that was because Pike was... well, Pike.

Plus they didn't even know the man's name. Oh, he'd introduced himself as Percy, but Vax had been around liars enough to notice the hesitation when he'd spoken. Even if Percy was technically his real name, there was more to the story. Vax would be willing to bet almost anything on it.

That didn't change the fact that he'd apparently just woken up from one hell of a nightmare, and even Vax wasn't enough of an ass to simply pretend that he hadn't noticed. No matter how much easier it would have been for both of them if he had.

With a quiet sigh, Vax slowly and quietly started making his way towards Percy's bedroll. It was set up at the very edge of the camp, a bit away from the others, and Percy was sitting up in it with his face buried in his hands. Vax didn't think he was crying – if he was, he was doing it silently without any of the usual body movements to give himself away – but still. It would probably be better if he gave him at least a little bit of warning.

Vax very purposefully stepped on a small branch in front of him.

Percy's hands dropped from his face immediately, his head spinning around wildly as he tried to make out what he'd just heard. Considering he wasn't wearing his glasses and there was almost no light, there wasn't a chance in the hells that he could see anything, but Vax had to hand it to him just for trying.

"It's me," Vax called out quietly, careful to keep his voice down. Most of the others could sleep through a dire wolf attack – and the fact that he knew that from past experience said everything there was to say about the S.H.I.T.S. – but Vex, at least, tended to be a light sleeper. The last thing he wanted to do was wake her up.

"Vax?" Percy asked, his head snapping in Vax's general direction at the sound of his voice. He clearly couldn't see anything, but he was at least trying to fake it.

Vax kept walking, stopping a foot or so away from Percy and kneeling down beside him. Percy squinted, clearly seeing _something_ , although Vax had no idea just how much or little he could make out.

"What are you doing?" Percy asked warily.

Vax shrugged. "It sounded like you might appreciate some company," he said lightly. "I know that I always do when I wake up from a bad one."

For a second or two, Vax thought that Percy was going to argue with him and pretend that he didn't have any idea what he was talking about. Then Percy seemed to deflate, and not for the first time Vax couldn't help but think that he was probably younger than he looked.

"Was I that loud?" Percy asked quietly.

Vax shook his head. "I know what to listen for," he said. "Want to talk about it?"

The look Percy shot him could have curdled milk, despite him being slightly cross-eyed from his lack of glasses and the darkness. It was honestly kind of impressive.

"Or not," Vax said, holding up his hands in a gesture of peace. "We could just sit here in an awkward silence. That works too."

Percy snorted. "I see what Vex meant about you thinking you're funny."

"I'll have you know that I'm hilarious," Vax shot back, a smile twitching at the corners of his mouth despite his best intentions. "I'm a regular comedian."

"Don't let Scanlan know. It will hurt his feelings," Percy replied.

It was hard to tell in the dark, but Vax could still see a hint of something in his eyes. Some inner darkness that Percy wasn't trying to hide as much as he usually did. Still, there was a hint of amusement in his voice that Vax was almost certain was real. He'd take what he could get.

"Trust me, nothing hurts Scanlan's feelings," Vax said. "His ego's too big to let anything hurtful get past it." He paused. "Well, except for Grog's fists."

Percy laughed. It was quiet and had a faint hint of hysteria in it, but it was genuine. That was the important thing.

The corners of Vax's mouth twitched upwards, just for a moment, as he studied Percy's face. It was hard to tell in the dark, with everything in shades of grey, but the worst of the tension left over from the nightmare seemed to have faded. Mission accomplished.

After a moment or two, Percy managed to get his laughter under control. "Thank you," he said softly. Hesitantly. "I needed that."

Vax gave an overdramatic bow. "My pleasure," he said. "I live to serve."

Something that looked a lot like interest flashed across Percy's face. He hid it almost as soon as it appeared, but Vax was watching close enough that he noticed. His eyes narrowed, just a bit, as he took a second or two to _really_ look at Percy.

He looked younger without his glasses. With his entire form in shadow, the white hair didn't stand out so much. There were shadows under his eyes and pain on his face, the lingering effects of his dreams not completely faded. But there was something else there too, though. Not pain. Not by a long shot. In fact, it looked almost like Percy was trying not to shift a bit uncomfortably, as if he was...

Oh. _Oh._

A nightmare, yes, but one of those ones where the good and the bad were mixed together so closely that you couldn't tell where one ended and the other began. Pleasure and pain, light and dark, all of them fighting for dominance. One of those ones where you woke up with a scream on your lips, a racing heart, and an aching groin.

Vax knew something about those.

"I'm good at being a distraction," Vax said, purposefully making his tone just a bit too innocent as he leaned forward. "If you wanted to work off... whatever it is that you were dreaming about."

Percy's eyes snapped towards him, his gaze surprisingly focused. Then again, Vax wasn't more than a few inches away from his face. Even in the dark, without his glasses, Percy couldn't be that blind.

Vax waggled his eyebrows. "I'm funny _and_ handsome," he said. "It's a winning combination, or so I've been told."

Percy chuckled and then promptly looked annoyed at himself for doing so. Then he let out a sigh. "I'm going to regret this," he muttered. "I just know that I am."

Without another word, Percy leaned forward and pressed his lips against Vax's. Vax let out an amused huff of almost-laughter before kissing back.

What was the worst that could happen?

**Author's Note:**

> Find me on Twitter. (https://twitter.com/settiai)


End file.
